Azizulhasni, Pandelela among candidates for 2019/20 Sportsman, Sportswoman awards

KUALA LUMPUR: Two elite athletes, track cycling champion Datuk Mohd Azizulhasni Awang and diving queen Datuk Pandelela Rinong, are among the nominees vying for the 2019/2020 National Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year awards.

They are expected to be strongly challenged by the others shortlisted for the National Sports Award (ASN) ceremony, which is scheduled to be held at a hotel in Subang Jaya on Tuesday (Dec 21).

For the National Sportsman category, Mohd Azizulhasni, dubbed the "Pocket Rocketman", has bodybuilder Mohd Syahrul Azman Mahen Abdullah, archer Khairul Anuar Mohamad, tenpin bowler Timmy Tan and wushu exponent Wong Weng Son for company.

Pandelela will be challenged by wushu exponent Tan Cheong Min, lawn bowler Siti Zalina Ahmad, tenpin bowler Sin Li Jane and gymnast Farah Ann Abdul Hadi for the National Sportswoman award.

For the National Paralympic Sportsman category, archer S. Suresh heads the nominations, followed by Bonnie Bunyau Gustin (powerlifting), Cheah Like Hou (badminton), Muhammad Nur Syaiful Zulkafli (swimming) and Chew Wei Lun (boccia). However, there were no nominations for the National Paralympic Sportswoman this time.

SPORTS-AWARD (ASN) 2 (LAST) KUALA LUMPUR

The National Sports Council (NSC), in a statement today, said the nominations of the athletes were based on their excellent achievements on the international stage in 2019 and 2020.

"The NSC Selection Committee, chaired by Ministry of Youth and Sports deputy secretary-general (strategic) Ramona Mohd Razali, received 68 nominations for 11 categories from national sports associations, the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) and the Paralympic Council of Malaysia (PCM).

It said Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah and Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah would grace the awards ceremony.

The winners of the National Sportsman and Sportswoman and National Paralympic Sportsman awards will each receive a trophy, a challenge trophy, a certificate and RM20,000 cash.

ASN also offers seven other awards - National Men's and Women's Teams, National Men's and Women's Coaches, Sports Figure Award, Sports Leadership Award and Special Award.

The awards, which were introduced in 1966, have been held annually but those for 2019 and 2020 were combined due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

-- BERNAMA